title: Carboplatin plus gemcitabine repeating doublet therapy in recurrent breast cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The combination of cisplatin plus gemcitabine is active in metastatic breast cancer. Carboplatin plus gemcitabine, widely used in ovarian and non-small-cell lung cancers, has also been used in breast cancer. This trial examined the efficacy and toxicity of split-dose carboplatin plus gemcitabine in advanced breast cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with measurable disease, recurrent after adjuvant and < or = 1 previous treatment for systemic disease, received carboplatin area under the curve = 2.0 (Calvert) plus gemcitabine 800 mg/m2, both drugs administered days 1 and 8 every 21 days. Of 15 patients accrued, 13 are fully evaluable.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 2 complete (13.3%) and 6 partial (40%) responses, for an overall response rate by intention to treat of 53.3% (95% CI, 28%-82%). The median time to progression was 4.5 months (95% CI, 2.03-6.97 months), and median overall survival was 28.8 months (95% CI, 9.4-48.2 months). There were 2 patients with grade 3 (13.3%) anemia, 7 patients with grade 3 (46.6%) and 4 patients (26.6%) with grade 4 neutropenia, 4 patients with grade 3 (26.6%) and 3 patients (20%) with grade 4 thrombocytopenia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The repeating doublet of split-dose carboplatin plus gemcitabine reveals activity comparable to that of cisplatin plus gemcitabine, is well tolerated, and warrants evaluation in patients with recurrent breast cancer.
authors.affiliation: Rational Therapeutics, Long Beach, CA, USA. robert.nagourney@rationaltherapeutics.com
authors.forename: Robert A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Nagourney
authors.forename: Marshall
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Flam
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Link
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hager
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Blitzer
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lyons
authors.forename: Barbara L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Sommers
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Evans
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000093542:Gemcitabine
chemical_list: D003841:Deoxycytidine; D016190:Carboplatin; D000093542:Gemcitabine